Press felt suction roll



08:. 4, 1932. 8 E. E. BERRY 1,880,687

PRESS FELT SUCTION ROLL Filed Dec. 29. 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Oct. 4, 1932. E. E. BERRY PRESS FELT SUCTION ROLL Filed Dec. 29. 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 mla IEIIIEIZIH V5.17 DE 64 r/ 3977;

Patented Oct. 4, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE" EARL E. BERRY, OF BELOIT, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR TO BELOIT IRON WORKS, OF BELOIT, WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION OF WISCONSIN PRESS rum suo'rron ROLL Application filed December 29, 1930. Serial No. 505,354.

This invention relates to a press felt suction roll for use particularly in paper machines. I

It has heretofore been customary in some types of paper machines to employ flat suction boxes for aiding in the drying or conditioning of a felt but flat suction boxes cause excessive wear of the felt and require constant attention.

I have now found that by driving a suction roll that is'in contact with a press felt at aperipheral speed different from the speed of the traveling felt, a cleaning action can be effected in addltion to the suction action yet without causing excessive wear of the felt.

It is therefore an object of this invention to rovide a press felt suction roll that is positively driven at a peripheral speed different from the speed of the press felt with which it is in contact.

It is a further important object of this invention to provide a first press for paper machines including plain press rolls, a press felt and a suction roll cooperating. with the felt and positively driven from the lower press roll at a different peripheral speed from that of the press roll in order that the suction roll may serve as a felt cleaner or conditioner.

It is a further important object ofthis invention to provide a first press including a lower press felt in which a suction roll is positioned ahead of the nip of the presses for coaction with the felt and positively driven at a peripheral speed slightly less than the speed of travel of the felt to exert a suction action toward the felt and wet paper web carried thereon.

' Other and further important objects of this invention will be apparent from the disclosures in the specification and the accompanying drawings.

This invention (in a preferred form) is illustrated in the drawings and hereinafter more fully described.

On the drawings:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of a first press of a paper. machine embodying the principles of my invention.

Figure 2 is a similar diagrammatic view showing a modified form of my invention.

rolls 2 and 3, respectively, and a bottom press felt 4 passing between the nip of the press rolls and suitably trained around various supporting and tensioning rollers 5. The particular arrangement of the press felt is unimportant and itmay be changed or altered in a manner well known to those familiar with the paper makin 'art. In accordance with usual practice, t e lower press roll 3 is positively driven (driving means not shown) and the upper press roll is surface driven therefrom by pressure contact with v the felt 4 assing therebetween.

Preferably, although not necessarily, a suction couch roll 6 is employed in the Fourdrinier part of the machine with which my invention is to be used. As is well known, the wet web of paper 7 is, in the first instance, lifted bodily from the forming Wire 8 after the wire and web have been subjected to the suction action of the box or chamber 9 of. the suction roll v6, and placed upon the traveling bottom press felt 4. The wet web of paper is then carried by the traveling bottom felt 4 between the nip of the press rolls 2 and 3 to extract a certain amount of water from the paper web and felt. Up to this point only standard paper making equipment has been described.

My present inventioncomprises the use of a suction roll 10 for coaction with'the bottom press felt 4 to serve both for removing quan tities of water from the felt and web and for conditioning or cleaning the felt. In order to serve in the latter capacity as a felt conditioner or cleaner, I have found it satisfactory to drive the suction roll 10 at a periphcral speed different from the rate of travel of the bottom felt 4 with which it is in contact, so as'to produce a slight relative movement between the contacting surfaces of the felt and suction roll and therefore a wiping and cleaning action.

In Figure 1, the suction roll 10 is positioned for contact with the underside of the top run of the bottom felt 4 just slightly in advance of the nip of the press rolls 2 and 3. In this position, the suction roll 10 serves to extract water both from the bottom felt 4 and from the wet web of paper carried thereon and in this way a certain additional quantity of Water is removed from the two prior to passing into the nip between the two press rolls 2 and 3. Although the suction roll 10 may be driven at the same peripheral speed as the peripheral speed of the lower press roll 3, I have found that the suction effect is increased and also that the suction roll serves as a felt conditioner or cleaner if it is driven at a slightly different peripheral speed from that of the lower press roll 3. The suction roll 10 is therefore suitably driven by means of a chain or belt 11 trained around gears or pulleys 12 and 13 mounted on the corresponding ends of the lower press roll 3 and the suction roll 10, respectively. Itwill be understood, however, that any positive drive for the suction roll .10 may be provided, but preferably such that the surface speed of the suction roll is slightly less than the speed of the felt to insure a complete covering of the surface of thiel felt by the suction action of the suction r0 In Figure 2 there is shown a suction roll 10 positioned in contact with the lower run of the bottom felt 4 for cleaning or conditioning the web receiving surface of the felt. In this case also, the suction roll 10 may be suitably driven through a belt or chain 11 from the lower press roll 3 at a surface speed slightly less than the rate of travel of the bottom felt 4. For the purpose of giving an additional cleaning effect, a water shower pipe 14 is mounted ahead of the suction roll 10 to direct water against the traveling bottom felt 4 prior to its passage over the surface'of the suction roll 10. The water shower pipe 14 may be of the oscillating type or of any other satisfactory type known to the paper making art for spraying the entire surface of the felt. In this case, the suction roll 10 acts to extract the major portion of the water so sprayed against the felt by the spray pipe 14 and at the same time the wiping action effected by reason of the different surface speed of the felt and suction roll tends to clean and condition the felt.

In Figures 3 and 4 there is shown a-suitable type of suction roll 10, although it will be understood that my invention is not limited to any particular type of suction roll. The suction roll 10 illustrated comprises a perforated shell 15 having extended journals suitably mounted in bearings 16 and 17. A. stationary suction chamber 18 is removably mounted within the shell 15. At its inner end the suction box 18 is provided with a bearing 19 positioned within the hollow extended journal of the shell 15. The other end of the suction chamber 18 is extended through the bearing 16 for support through suitable piping 20 from a standard 21. A second standard 22 supports the bearing 17 for the extended hollow journal of the shell 15. On said extended hollow journal there is suitably mounted a gear or other means (not shown) through which the shell 15 may be suitably driven. The details of theconstruction of the suction roll 10 are not important here since they are fully disclosed in my Patent No. 1,679,598, dated August 7, 1928.

An important feature of my invention is the provision of a suction roll for coaction with a press felt that is positively driven at a different peripheral speed from the rate of travel of the felt with which it is in contact, so as. to obtain an additional suction effect and also, when appliedto the web carrying surface of the felt, a cleaning and conditioning action. The use of a press felt suction roll of my invention has the great advantage over the use of flat suction boxes in that the suction roll has less tendency to wear the felt, thereby giving the felt a longer life, and has a greater capacity for drying, cleaning and conditioning the felt.

I am aware that many changes may be made and numerous details of construction may be varied through a wide range without departing from the principles'of this invention, and I, therefore, do not purpose limiting the patentgranted hereon otherwise than necessitated by the prior art.

I claim as my invention:

1. In combination with a traveling felt, a rotatably mounted suction roll in contact with said felt and means for driving said suction roll at a peripheral speed different from the rate of travel of said felt.

2. In a paper machine, a pair of pressrolls, a felt passing therebetween and driven thereby, a suction roll rotatably mounted for contact with said felt and means for driving said suction roll at a peripheral speed different from the speed of said felt.

3. In a paper machine, an upper and a lower driven press roll, a press felt associated therewith and rotary suction means in contact with said felt and driven from said lower press roll at a different peripheral speed from that of said lower-press roll.

4. In a paper machine, an upper and a lower driven press roll, a press felt associated therewith and a suction roll positioned ahead of the press rolls in contact with said felt and driven from said lower press roll at a different peripheral speed from that of said lower press roll.

memes? being driven at a slower speed than the rate of travel of the felt so as to produce a relative movement between the contacting surfaces of the felt and suction roll.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name at Beloit, Rock County,

Wisconsin.

' EARL E. BERRY.

just ahead of the nip of said press roll for coaction with said felt and means for positively driving said suction roll at a peripheral speed slightly less than that of said press rolls.

7. A first press of a paper machine comprising a pair of press rolls, a. lower press felt cooperating therewith for carrying a wet paper web therebetween, a suction roll positioned just ahead of the nip of said press roll for coaction with the under side of said felt to extract water from said felt and web and means for positively driving said suction roll at a peripheral speed slightly less than that of said press rolls.

' 8. A first press of a paper machine comprising a pair of plain press rolls, a lower press felt cooperating therewith for carrying a wet paper web therebetween, a suction roll positioned just ahead of the nip of said press roll for coaction with the under side of said felt to extract water from said felt and web and means connected to the lower press roll for positively driving said suction roll therefrom at a peripheral speed slightly less than that of said press rolls.

:0 9. In combination, a pair of press rolls,

a felt traveling therebetween, a suction roll positioned in advance of said press rolls in contact with said felt and means for positively driving said suction roll to efiect relative movement between the contacting surfaces of said felt and suction roll.

10. The process of conditioning the felt of a paper making machine which comprises passing the felt over a suction roll at a dif- 0 ferent rate of travel than the peripheral speed of the suction roll so as to produce relative' movement between the contacting surfaces of the felt in the suction roll.

11. The process of cleaning the felt on a 5 paper making machine which comprises passing the felt over a'suction rolldriven at a slower speed than the rate of travel of the .felt so as to produce a relative movement between the contacting surfaces of the felt and 0 the suction roll.

12. The process of cleaning the felt of a till 

